Reflector28Jan2010

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5

Africa comes to Calgary

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Sports

Looseleaf love

Arts

Features

News

We’re guessing you won’t vote

Get your sex on

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NEWS EDITOR: Zoey Duncan newseditor@TheReflector.ca

January 28, 2010

BRIEFS

V

oter apathy isn’t unique to young people. In the 2007 Calgary municipal election, about 33 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot. Provincially, the 2008 election had the lowest voter turnout in Alberta’s history at 40.6%.

O

verwhelmingly, profs seem to be left-leaning people. A new study called “Why are professors liberal?” suggests that the job has a reputation for being liberalist and secular, which repels conservative academics from pursuing those careers.

T

he University of Alberta may switch faculty and student email accounts to Google. The move could save $2 million a year, plus upgrade the level of service, but there are some concerns with privacy.

E

very candidate for an SAMRU executive position is uncontested this election, just like last year.

Photo by James Paton

Disinterest in student elections can be attributed to having few big issues on campus, a lack of community spirit at MRU, or the fact that students don’t have time.

Election apathy — what is it good for?

Lack of candidates and voters at MRU

by Edward Osborne The Reflector

There is an election coming up? Big deal.

At least that seems to be the overwhelming opinion around MRU. There is literally no contest for the executive council; each open space has a single person willing to do the job. There’s still going to be an election, and there’s still going to be ballots. There will only be one name on the card, with a yes or no option for voters, but they will still be available to students.

“It is true that all of our candidates are running uncontested,” Shauna Hunter, the chief returning officer of the elections, told The Reflector in an email. “However, they still have to stand a yes/no vote. The student population will have the opportunity to voice, through their vote, whether or not they believe that a candidate should be put into office. As far as the appearance of the physical ballots, each candidate’s name will appear on the ballot with a box for yes and a box for no beside it; the voter will be asked to place an “X” in the yes or no box, depending on their preference.”

There is one candidate running for each of the four executive positions, but only five students running for student

council, which actually has 10 spots.

Voter turnout, too, is dropping. Last March, only 5.53 per cent of students voted in the election compared to 10.22 per cent in the by-election in Dec. 2008.

Travis McIntosh, current president of the Students’ Association of MRU, said he sees that downward trend as disheartening.

“The most basic form of democratic interaction is to mark an X in a box,” McIntosh said, “but there’s only so much you can do to induce people.”

Kat Goodfellow is one of those apathetic non-voters. The newly arrived nursing student said she doesn’t feel election information is easily available to her, or that participation in the election would have any effect on her schooling.

“I’m here to become a nurse and only that,” she said. “I don’t care enough and I don’t have enough time.”

This lack of interest isn’t just a problem at Mount Royal. In provincial and federal elections, 18-25 year olds are notorious for being the lowest voting demographic.

Colin Rose is president of the SAIT Students’ Association.

They had a six per cent turnout in their 2009 election.

“The main problem is that there’s not a lot of huge topics

on campus,” he said. “Student satisfaction with the association is quite high.”

Perhaps there just isn’t much to be done. There’s no need for an Obama, no space for a revolutionary or reformer.

“We’re really maintaining the machine,” said McIntosh. “As an organization we’re doing very well.” A students’ association is a complex force, with its own set of bylaws and administrative protocols. Those sorts of things are unlikely to excite students or lead to riveting power struggles and tense leadership races.

Now, perhaps, it falls to those student representatives to make elections interesting. McIntosh jokes that maybe a student monarchy would work better, or a tribal system where “feats of strength” determine the leader.

Susan Judd, the elections coordinator at the University of Calgary, is trying a number of different methods to increase involvement. Their election turnout was lower than expected last year at 12.5 per cent and they’ve never had more than 20 per cent participation.

This year there will be a roving desk offering games and prizes, as an attempt to inform more students about the election.

The Students’ Union hosts workshops to guide candidates into campaigning.

Every candidate at the University of Calgary will create a campaign

video that will be accessible via YouTube and played throughout the MacEwan Student Centre.

At Mount Royal University, the Students’ Association has “reduced itself to bribery,” jokes McIntosh, handing out cookies and juice in exchange for a marked ballot.

The lack of community on MRU’s campus could be to blame for voter apathy. MRU is a “commuter campus” with only 10 per cent of students living on campus. That means many students come to school, go to class, and then drive home, without getting involved in anything outside the classroom.

“I think we get a better turnout from our full-time than our parttime students,” said Judd about University of Calgary students.

“They’re just on campus more.”

The future may not mean the decay of democracy. McIntosh is forecasting a 10 per cent jump in the student population in fall 2010 when those students who would normally transfer to the University of Calgary stay here to finish their degrees.

That, and the creation of fouryear bachelor degrees will hopefully draw students to be more invested in the community aspect of Mount Royal.

Are you going to vote in the SA election Feb. 1-6, 8-10? Let us know, comment on this story online at thereflector.ca

January 28, 2010 • THE REFLECTOR

3

What the #%$& does the SA do?

by Zoey Duncan & Claire Miglionico The Reflector

In mid-January, The Reflector performed an informal survey of students to gauge what the biggest issues on campus are. We also asked students their opinion of the

Travis McIntosh was first elected president in the by-election in fall 2008. Now, though he only served as president for about a term and a half, it counts as two full terms: the maximum permitted, so he can’t run again.

“I’d love to have done two full years,” he said. “You can give somebody back the costs…but you can’t go back in time.”

“I think we’ve had some contentious elections in the past,” McIntosh said.

“If you’re not proud of where you work, why would you tell anyone about it?”

In the spring 2008 election, thenchief returning officer Jim Robertson disqualified McIntosh and VP Student Life candidate Liz McKeown after determining they were running as a slate of candidates when a former executive created a Facebook page

Give Eily Sweeney a call, and you’ll be treated to a voicemail message with harp playing in the background. It will make your day.

At 23, Sweeney is in her third year at MRU and has participated in a plethora of on-campus activities from sitting on a dozen committees, to peer tutoring at the Student Learning Centre.

“I was able to witness what needed to get improved and [realized] how much I wanted to be a part of creating change in the community,” she said.

Sweeney is upbeat, enterprising, and happy to say how well in synch the executive committee is this year – both professionally and musically.

She shared that Travis McIntosh plays the guitar, writes his own songs and sings, while Robert Jones plays the drums. Sweeney plays the Celtic harp, sings, and dances.

SAMRU. While some students said they were pleased, plenty of students told us that they don’t know what the SA does, and couldn’t give an opinion.

With an impending election, The Reflector thought it necessary to take a look at what the executive council at the Students’ Association has accomplished lately.

called, “I’m voting for Travis, Liz, Matt and Marie­— the dream team!”

After nine months of adjudication, an arbitrator ruled that McIntosh and McKeown were wrongly disqualified, that the SA would pay the legal fees incurred, and that a by-election would be held in the fall.

After legal fees and the cost of the election, the SA paid about $65,000.

Currently, McIntosh is assessing SAMRU’s membership in the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, which costs $50,000 annually. If he decides to end that membership, “that’ll hopefully cancel out the costs [of the arbitration].”

Currently he’s in budget talks, hoping to save students money.

Savings are unlikely though, he said, due to costs like maintenance on Wyckham House, plus staff salaries – including about $35,500 annually for each executive.

Before his term as president ends in the spring, McIntosh said he wants to assess the benefits of some SAMRU services versus the cost to students.

Other projects underway include piloting a project that could lead to more student housing, and advocating for a common UPass price for all postsecondary institutions.

“President’s probably the wrong title for me,” he said. “My job’s not as sexy as it sounds.”

—Zoey Duncan

Robert Jones is running uncontested for the role of president in this election but remains modest and focused on his duties as VP External.

“My day usually consists of answering a lot of emails and a lot of telephone calls, and a lot of meetings,” said Jones.

A quick look at his profile on SAMRU.ca reveals Jones’ passion for improving the many forms of transportation to campus.

“Everything is definitely still very much a work in progress,” he said.

Last summer, he met with aldermen to lobby for more buses to come to Mount Royal. But Calgary Transit was hit with budget cuts and trimmed 21,500 service hours, Jones said. As a result, Jones wrote to aldermen, telling them not to cut bus service to Mount Royal.

“What we were able to do is maintain the current service,” he said. The only route that took a hit in service was the number 13, which lost only a single bus on Saturdays.

Perhaps the most glaring transportation issue on campus is the availability of parking, a problem exacerbated by additional students and construction this year. “As of right now, the parkade will be done in fall of 2010, [that’s] when they’re projecting it,” Jones said. In the meantime, students will have to

Guitars and drums aside, as VP Student Life, Sweeney has three main goals: campus sustainability, accommodating students with disabilities, and a project called Forum Theatre.

Polystyrene (Styrofoam) was ruled out of Wyckham House – an idea that came up last year when Sweeney was president of the Sustainable Mount Royal Club.

Sweeney monitors the Access Ability Centre closely and said it has increased in popularity among students. Monthly meetings are held with the Centre to ensure the needs of students with disabilities are properly met.

The Forum Theatre is a “highly participatory and interactive form of theatre,” Sweeney explained. It initiates dynamic conversation in which participants get to explore a specific topic, such as student life, through theatre games.

Sweeney said the executives are making classroom visits, promoting themselves on Main Street, leading student orientation days and Wyckham House student tours to raise awareness of the SA. Sweeney, who is running uncontested for VP Student Life in the upcoming election, is still working toward a regular busking day and drum circle day.

Erin Delamont has held the VP Academic position since last spring and will return to full-time study next fall.

“I think this year has been amazing,” said a glowing Delamont.

Some of the projects she outlined on her SAMRU.ca profile have already come to light, while others are ongoing.

After many, many hours spent in meetings with professors and deans, Delamont established a reading day in the fall semester. The extra study day will be “attached” to Remembrance Day to create an extended weekend in November.

“That was extremely timeconsuming,” Delamont said of the almost year-long process. “I will be a full-time student [in the fall semester], so I will benefit from that [extra day] and so will 13,000 other students.”

Recently, Delamont, along with VP Student Life Eily Sweeney and Brian Fleming from the office of Student Affairs and Campus Life, launched a website detailing student study spaces on campus, mtroyal.ca/studentspaces.

The project was a result of hearing that students were unhappy with the availability of spaces on campus for working on projects, and studying in quiet.

She said that eventually a new library will provide plenty of study space, but that project is still many years from completion. Delamont said making students aware of study space is just the beginning of the project. “It’s not

— Claire Miglionico

schedule a few spot-sleuthing minutes into their commute.

Jones said that he is looking into using a carpooling or “rideshare” program called Zimride that uses Facebook and other technology to help students find a way to school. He said it’s still tentative as the startup costs are expensive.

Jones said that if he is “fortunate enough to return” as president next term, he wants to focus on increasing participation in student governance by creating more opportunities for students to communicate with executives, like having town-hall style meetings. “In terms of voter apathy, certainly it seems like our age group tends not to participate democratically,” said Jones. ­—Zoey Duncan

something that’s going to take a 180.”

Another project that’s been percolating is the co-curricular record.

This is essentially a transcript to keep track of students’ extracurricular activities.

The official document would likely include details like being part of a club or volunteering on campus and could be printed from an online database that would be included in job resumes and grad school applications.

“It’s unfortunate that some students don’t know about us and the services we offer,” Delamont said. She said that there’s been much time spent this year “just bringing the calibre of our organization up a notch.”

—Zoey Duncan

THE REFLECTOR • January 28, 2010

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THE REFLECTOR January 28, 2010

MRU contributes to Haiti relief

by Kelsey Chadwick Layout Editor

EDITORIAL STAFF: Publishing Editor: Katie Turner Managing Editor: Ivar Bergs News Editor: Zoey Duncan Features Editor: Gabrielle Domanski Arts Editor: Sean-Paul Boynton Sports Editor: Kelsey Hipkin Photo Editor: James Paton Layout Editor: Kelsey Chadwick Web Editor: Kevin Rushworth CONTRIBUTORS: Selina Renfrow, Megan Darragh, Edward Osborne, Claire Miglionico, Kylie Robertson, Ivan Danielewicz, Tiffany Wollman, Amy Gregson, Andrea Goss

COVER: Designed by James Paton

The Reflector, with an on- and offcampus circulation of 10,000, is the independent voice of the students of Mount Royal University. It is published fortnightly during the academic year (Sept. to April).

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Submissions and letters to the editor should be a maximum of 500 words, typed, double-spaced, and contain the writer’s name and phone number. No unsigned letters will be published. Only in exceptional cases, at the discretion of the Publishing Editor, will writers’ names be withheld. The Reflector reserves the right to edit submissions for brevity.

Contents are copyright © 2010. No material may be reproduced without express written consent.

All opinions contained within this paper are those of the individual authors, and not necessarily those of the Reflector Publications Society.

For more information, contact The Reflector office at:

THE REFLECTOR Wyckham House Mount Royal University 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW Calgary, ABT3E 6K6 All depts.: 403.440.6268 Fax: 403.440.6762 thereflector@TheReflector.ca

On Jan. 12, the island country of Haiti was hit with a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake that left the country’s capital, Port au Prince, in absolute ruins. With 80 per cent of the country’s population below the poverty line, it was apparent to the world that Haiti was in desperate need of some help.

Mount Royal didn’t shy away from this disaster and has been actively involved in raising money since the earthquake happened.

Since the earthquake, various clubs have taken the initiative to raise funds for different organizations like the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders, with all the proceeds going directly to help Haiti.

Three days after the earthquake, the Social Justice Club was patrolling Main Street asking for donations on behalf of the Red Cross. Getting involved in a situation like this is exactly what the club was designed to do.

“If it’s something we can do immediately then we do get involved immediately,” said Art Kung, advisor to the Social Justice Club. “We try to involve ourselves in issues that affect the

world and make them known locally.”

After hearing about the devastation in Haiti, the Social Justice Club contacted the Red Cross and told them they wanted to help out. The Red Cross immediately sent over the supplies that they would need to fundraise.

“It’s been phenomenal,” said Kung, who is also a Christian chaplain at Mount Royal. “I think on Friday, we raised more money in just that day then we did last year for the Gaza Strip.”

After five days of asking for pocket change, the Social Justice club collected over $7,500 dollars to give to the Red Cross.

Kung said he thought that the devastation of a natural disaster incited more compassion than war, which is afflicted on one population by another.

The fundraising at Mount Royal doesn’t stop there; on Feb. 5 a collaboration of local clubs at Mount Royal will be putting on a benefit concert in Wyckham House called Hope for Haiti.

This event is put on directly by students for students and demonstrates that the life of a student is never too busy that they can’t get involved.

The stereotype that students don’t care enough to help out is what Sarah Johnston, a secondyear nursing student, has

Photo by James Paton

The federal government has been matching Canadians’ donations and has allocated over $135 million so far. encountered while planning this event.

“I think people were really surprised that students were organizing something like this,” said Johnston. “Maybe they don’t think students would take initiative to do something like this…what happened in Haiti has brought a lot of people together to do a lot of better things.”

The event will have performances from two bands, Goodbye Beatdown and Makeshift Innocence, as well as an auction where students can bid on Calgary Flames tickets,

Flames gear, a bike, sweaters from the Source, a two-night stay at a hotel in Cochrane, along with much more.

“It’s a lot bigger than we thought it was going to be, which is quite surprising,” said Johnston.

At Mount Royal’s Holy Cross Campus, proceeds from all massages in the Student Clinical Practicum Centre from Jan. 25 – Feb. 22 will be donated to the relief effort. A one-hour massage is only $30. For more information or to book a massage, call 403-503-4893.

Gaps in res after ski staff leave More students in residence expected with university status

by Kylie Robertson The Reflector

Cries of “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!” will be met with silence this year in Mount Royal residence.

A partnership between Mount Royal Residence Services and Canada Olympic Park to house their international ski staff – the majority of whom were from Australia – has been halted after three successful academic years on campus. During the peak of ski season, staff lived in residence for six months.

Mount Royal Residence Services opened the doors to the apartments on the west side of campus in 2003. In doing so, they also opened the door to over $1 million in debt.

When Steven Fitterer was hired as residence manager in June 2005, he inherited a slight problem – a million dollar problem.

“With an obligation to pay a mortgage on a new building, we needed to find alternative nonstudent business,” Fitterer said.

Fitterer said he had to look for opportunities to bring nonresidence students into Mount Royal to try to make the books balance; there wasn’t enough demand from the students for residence facilities. Fitterer

attributed the lack of interest in residence to the school’s thenstatus as a college.

“If you’re from Red Deer, you don’t come to Mount Royal for two years then move onto the U of C,” he said. “You go to Red Deer College and then transfer to the U of C.” So in 2006, Fitterer reached out to Canada Olympic Park to discuss the potential of housing non-local staff members over the ski season while they work at the hill.

Kim Nguyen, a police officer in his homeland Australia, participated in the program from 2008 to 2009, the last year the program was available.

“The connection between COP and MRU made it so much easier [for me],” Nguyen said.

“We had organized transport for work. The housing was actually organized before we arrived in Calgary, so I didn’t have to look for a place when I got there. And because there were 35 other COP workers to mingle with, I made a great bunch of friends who I still keep in contact with. I met my wonderful girlfriend there, and will be moving in together soon.

So it really worked out well for me.”

Nguyen was also offered the additional responsibility of

being the resident adviser for the group of workers, and this allowed him to interact with the workers on another level.

“My residents were fantastic, I think overall they loved living at MRU,” Nguyen said. “The guys and girls formed great relationships, [and] I am aware of four guys in particular who are now on a reunion trip in Canada. These guys are awesome; they didn’t know each other before Canada and are now the best of friends.”

The program was not reinstated for the 2009-2010 academic year, because Residence Services anticipated an increase in demand for residence places by students.

“The last thing I wanted to do is put too many non-students in residence and turn away a Mount Royal student,” Fitterer said.

Residence Services expected more students to apply for a place in housing because of the transition from college to university, the degree programs, and the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) status that was achieved this year, according to Fitterer.

“I don’t regret making the decision, because it was an uncertainty and we didn’t want

to take a risk,” Fitterer said.

“There are still empty houses; perhaps we erred on the side of caution. We probably ended the program one year too early.”

There are still 50 empty spaces in residence for the winter 2010 semester, Fitterer said. Enrollment decreases in the winter, he added, and even if residences were full in September, it’s expected to have empty rooms in the winter.

But, with all the changes to the university, Fitterer doesn’t anticipate reinstating the program. More room is being made for Mount Royal students; a business that rented space on campus in east residence was not offered a renewal on their lease.

As a former employee, Nguyen said that the experience was invaluable, and was lucky to have been a part of it while it existed.

“I spent six months in COP/ MRU, and I could talk for days about what I did there. But the basics are that I had a wonderful experience, and met great people. I worked in a friendly environment, the friendliest I’ve ever been in actually. I got life experience away from home.

I met the girl I’m probably going to marry one day. I can’t complain about anything.”

Pour yourself a hot one Looseleaf tea’s popularity gaining momentum

by Gabrielle Domanski Features Editor

With Calgary immersed in the crisp winter season, there’s nothing better on a cold day than a nice hot beverage to help one forget about their daily stresses.

Although some people swear by their specialty coffee drinks, loose tea is gaining in popularity and complementing the healthy lifestyle that many strive for. “[Tea is] following that wholesome lifestyle,” Dannii Seguin, a 19-year-old tea lover, said. “[It caters to] your vegetarian, your vegan, your anti-mainstream groups, where coffee is too blah and alcohol is too harsh.”

Seguin recalled one of the first times she enjoyed a cup of tea, having been around 10 years old, huddled around the kitchen table with her mother and stepgrandmother. She explained how it made her feel special to be having tea “with the big people.”

Since then Seguin has been a proponent for tea and the copious amounts of health benefits that accompany it.

According to manager of Oolong Teahouse in Kensington, Anna-Lee Rieb, “tea is like a cup of good health.”

She pointed out that among the various teas that help with everything from colds to stomachaches, rooibos tea is gaining in popularity thanks to its high antioxidant content.

FEATURES EDITOR: Gabrielle Domanski featureseditor@TheReflector.ca

See TEA pg. 7

January 28, 2010

QUICK QUIPS

“T

here is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea.”

— B.P Heroux

“E

ach cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage.”

— Catherine Douzel

“A

woman is like a tea bag — you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.”

— Eleanor Roosevelt

Photo by Gabrielle Domanski

THE REFLECTOR • January 28, 2010

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Sexy-time soundtracks Local musicians and music experts reveal their bedroom playlists JAUNTY JEZEBEL

by Selina Renfrow Sex Columnist

Music can have an incredible impact on any part of one’s life at any moment in time. We associate certain songs with memories that have meaning to us – the music can sometimes enhance that memory. Music can raise you up with an uplifting beat or bring you right back down to earth with honest lyrics and a sobering melody.

So it really should be no surprise that I bring music into my sex column. The right tunes can change the mood or get you excited. And there’s no denying that nearly every musician is inherently sexy. So this week, I decided to ask a few music industry

professionals about sex and music.

Question 1: Do you listen to music while having sex – if so who do you listen to and why?

Question 2: Who do you think is the sexiest musician (based primarily on their music, not necessarily their looks) and why?

Glenn Alderson: General Manager, Beatroute Magazine Answer to question 2: “If I had to pick the sexiest musician, I would say Stephen Merrit from the Magnetic Fields on the mere fact that every one of his songs is oozing with awkward sexuality. Sure he’s probably singing about dudes most of the time but he’s got this one song called “Let’s Pretend We’re Bunny Rabbits.� I’m not sure exactly what he’s alluding to but it’s from this triple-disc record he put out back in 1999 called 69 Love Songs. I don’t know if you can

get any sexier than that.�

Solomon Kane: Musician Answer to question 1: “I do listen to music while having sex, not always though. When I do, I guess it is for a number of reasons. I think that listening to music during sex makes it seem like more of an event, like a hot sex scene in a movie. Most people would like to have a soundtrack to their lives, especially during sex.�

I don’t think I am alone in this, but I like to use music as a benchmark. Certain songs that are associated to moments in time. I guess it just helps me remember the good times. More importantly the sexy good times. There are more reasons, but I guess those are the main ones.�

confidence. How did he ever pull off the one-piece tasseled karate jumpsuit look? He was smart as hell and knew exactly how hilarious he was. It was a huge joke for him near the end. It was like, “Check out how insane I can act and watch everyone eat it up.� That’s what’s sexy to me.�

Heath McCoy: Calgary Herald entertainment reporter and music critic (he also plays the drums) Answer to question 1: “I make sweet love to the sounds of thrash metal — anything at a thousand beats per minute or more.

See MUSIC pg. 7

Dan Vacon: lead singer of The Dudes and The Dojo Workhorse Answer to question 2: “Probably Elvis. I think it’s mostly because of his

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January 28, 2010 • THE REFLECTOR

7

MUSIC from pg. 6 Then I turn on the jackhammer.”

(Jaunty Jezebel note: he’s kidding. I was only allowed to include this if I made it clear he was joking.)

“No, that’s not true at all.

Actually, I don’t like to listen to anything all that heavy when I’m getting busy.

For that, I generally prefer jazz — really seductive, romantic jazz. John Coltrane is perfect. Anything that rocks, with a really slamming beat, is too distracting for me, probably because I’m a drummer and obsessed with heavy beats. I get caught up in it and it throws me off.”

Sheena Jardine-Olade: DJ Donna Dada and Reflector contributor Answer to question 1: “I listened to music during sex mainly as background noise. A little something to fill in the dead space, and I never really noticed it nor chose to notice it just because I tended to be a little more focused on the task at hand.”

However, it wasn’t until I was travelling in Europe [that I had] a change of heart about that. I had taken home this Finnish boy who was obviously younger than me and still believed that skateboarding was the best form of transportation, that

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graffiti belonged in the streets and not the art galleries, and that it was okay to get a doctor’s note excusing him from the army because he was a chronic weed smoker.”

With this exuberance also came a love of all things hiphop…but surprisingly good musical hip-hop. He had created me a playlist of all the

hip-hop that he enjoyed, most of it American with a little bit of European and Finnish hiphop thrown in there to round it off, towards the end it was strictly instrumental J Dilla (RIP).”

For more answers check out thereflector.ca. Share your answers in the comments

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Comic Contest If you’re a budding artist who’d like to see your work published, get together with a writer and create a four-panel comic strip. The entries will be posted on our website for voting, and the winner will have a full page to create a comic based on Mount Royal University! Deadline for submissions is March 4. Submit either in hard copy to The Reflector office, or by email to publishingeditor@ thereflector.ca. Good luck!

THE REFLECTOR • January 28, 2010

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January 28, 2010 • THE REFLECTOR

9

Click to purchase Buying from the comfort of your own home

by Megan Darragh The Reflector

Wouldn’t we all love to skip the long lines at the mall, the cold bus rides or the lack of parking stalls? For years people have been happily shopping from the comfort of their own home. Nowadays, you can buy anything from your favourite pizza to your favourite outfit online without ever having to brave the elements.

Better deals and a greater variety of clothing are only some of the reasons why many of us, like Rachelle Pelletier, a current science student at MRU, are attracted to the growing online markets.

“The sales are generally better than you would find in stores and it’s great because you can get a lot of coupons straight to your email,” Pelletier said.

The tendency to spend more seems to be an issue for many online shoppers, as Pelletier points out, it almost doesn’t seem like you’re spending the money because you don’t receive

TEA from pg. 5 “It’s also very good for your skin and your hair, and digestion,” Rieb added, noting that in some countries, rooibos tea is actually used as a topical ointment to soothe skin ailments such as burns.

Oolong Teahouse is one of Calgary’s most well known teahouses, having opened six years ago by a family of tea lovers who just wanted to share their passion with people, explained Rieb.

Aside from the numerous health benefits of looseleaf teas, Rieb mentioned that the flavour is what makes this specific

the physical merchandise right away. Shipping costs can also be a large chunk of the cost, since the more you order the larger your shipping charge, but you can find great deals for that too.

More and more businesses are adding an online store to their franchises: Victoria’s Secret, Urban Outfitters and many stores based out of Europe seem to be very popular sites to shop, since we don’t house any of their businesses in Calgary. EBay, which has one of the broadest clientele bases, is a great site to find almost anything you’re looking for at cheap prices.

Heather Saitz, part owner/ creator of Fox Sparrow Vintage, started her business on EBay and has recently switched to Etsy, which she says is “a little slower paced.”

It’s similar to EBay and perfect for finding vintage and one-of-akind pieces to add to a growing collection. A major bonus for smaller online companies is the existing customers these sites provide.

“Etsy and EBay already have

established clientele bases. It’s just a matter of setting up shop, breaking through the clutter and marketing our store on the sites,” Saitz said.

This makes it easier for smaller companies to thrive, rather than opening up a store and trying to build a big enough client-base to keep afloat.

Although online shopping offers great convenience, better deals, and unique finds it lacks some of the pleasure shopping at the mall still keeps. Nicole Alyse, creator of Dangerous Ballerina, an online vintage shop also run through Etsy, said that nothing could replace a day out with your friends.

“I feel like shopping is an anti-depressant. It’s fun and a good feeling to actually set out, shop and make a day of it,” she explained.

The ability to physically see the clothing and try it on before buying it lets you have more fun picking out an outfit and gives you greater confidence with your purchases, and if you do need to return anything

variation of tea more attractive to tea lovers. She said that tea bags tend to retain the flavour of the tea, as well as often have added preservatives.

When compared to its most recognized competitor, coffee, tea is commonly known to be the beverage of choice for those looking to stay alert while remaining at ease.

“That’s one of the great things about tea, you don’t get this crash and burn,” Elise Cappuccitti, director of communications for Teaopia, said. “You’re able to stay calm and really relaxed and at the same time be focused enough to continue on with your day and

energetic enough to be able to do so.”

Tea enthusiast Kimberley Jev, 24, said that she feels better when drinking tea and that when she drinks coffee she finds herself feeling shaky with her heart rate being, “all over the place.”

Seguin agreed with Jev’s opinion of coffee and eloquently described drinking tea as a “gentle pat on the back.”

Teaopia’s Cappuccitti explained that it is the L-theanine, which is almost exclusively found in tea, that aids in relaxation.

Although Teaopia tends to cater to a different, more retail-oriented and arguably more mainstream market than Oolong Teahouse, both venues take on the properties of the tea they sell and attempt to create relaxing environments for people to take their time and

Photo by James Paton

Although convenient, online shopping can make it hard to keep track of how much you’re spending.

it’s cheaper and as easy as walking back into the store. As well finding help on an online store can take days as you try to contact an employee by email, which gives the mall another point for convenience. experience tea.

For Rieb, tea is a reminder to slow down and she described her customers as being a lot more patient than those who might be found frequenting local coffee shops.

Walking into Oolong even at its busiest time, one can instantly recognize the aura of calm hovering in the air.

“In Calgary right now there is a lack of community and I feel like rather than go to a bar and drink alcohol and put all of that negative stuff in you, I’d rather come here and chill out, meet people and interact,” Jev explained of her Oolong visits, adding how well tea goes hand in hand with conversation.

With its health benefits and relaxation abilities, tea lovers agree that if you haven’t tried looseleaf tea, you should. Rieb said it best: “Enjoy life sip by sip and not gulp by gulp.”

(Left) Tea enthusiast Kimberley Jev loves the variety that tea offers, as well as its ability to bring people together for good conversation.

Photos by Gabrielle Domanski

The online world can try all it wants but there are some parts of those day trips to the mall including a mouth-watering poutine and great friends that online shopping could never compete with.

Drink tea, for wellness’ sake According to Teaopia.ca, here are a few benefits to a variety of teas: Green Tea – is said to lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots, burn calories, and make your immune system stronger.

Matcha Green Tea – is powdered tea leaves, which is said to protect against cancer and help prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Matcha has 10 times the amount of antioxidants than regular green tea.

Black Tea – can help fight off tooth decay, improve circulation and because of its tannins can help treat gastric illnesses.

Rooibos – like green and white tea, rooibos contains minimal caffeine and can help with insomnia, irritability and hypertension. It can also help soothe stomach cramps.

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Remembering their roots while bringing the beats African hip-hop crew A-Squad Boyz deliver a taste of their homeland to Calgary

ARTS EDITOR: Sean-Paul Boynton artseditor@TheReflector.ca

by Kevin Rushworth Web Editor

Calgary hip-hop crew the A-Squad Boyz are touching on their African roots and both their experiences and backgrounds by introducing distinctly Angolan kuduro beats into the city’s underground music scene.

Once known as the Angolan Squad, due to their shared heritage, the crew’s name recently changed to African Squad because of new member Orphee “MC Budidi” Landa, 25, who comes from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

MC Budidi joined the ranks of A-Squad producer Arlindo “AC Alves” Alves, Edivaldo “Eddy Mayor” Dasilva and Joa “Black Mamba” Miranda.

Their combined passion and approach to the music was the bond that brought the

four members together.

A-Squad Boyz formed when Eddy Mayor met AC Alves in Calgary and he heard what he called “appealing beats.”

“He was telling me that he was making music but I didn’t take him serious at first,” says Eddy Mayor. “One day, I decided to go to his house and he was putting beats together. We made a couple of songs for the fun of it, but people were liking it.”

After the success of their first mix tape, Swagganomiks 101, the group has found they can use their hip-hop musical influence to introduce the kuduro sounds of the Angolan streets to Calgary audiences.

Kuduro music takes hip-hop beats and merges them with electronic music, as well as the styles of Africa.

Black Mamba, who grew

See GROUP pg. 13 Photo by Kevin Rushworth

Joa “Black Mamba” Miranda is one of the four African immigrants that make up the A-Squad Boyz.

January 28, 2010

HOT SPOTS

B

roken City will host L.A. noise-rock maestros HEALTH Feb. 6. Their sets during Sled Island caused ears to ring for days, so pack some earplugs and prepare to be wowed.

E

njoy some music and give to a good cause at Mount Royal’s Hope For Haiti fundraiser, featuring Goodbye Beatdown and Makeshift Innocence, on Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. in Wyckham House.

A

one-dollar donation from every ticket sold for William Yang’s China – running Feb. 9-11 at Theatre Junction GRAND – will go to the Canadian Red Cross and relief efforts in Haiti.

T

here’s still time to register for Decidedly Jazz Danceworks’ annual Winter Workshop Weekend, happening Feb. 6-7 and featuring a wide variety of introductory dance classes.

THE REFLECTOR • January 28, 2010

12

UPCOMING Mruonline GolftoDEADLINE Go see anwon exclusive aboutand are MRU’s avid golfers gold atarticle the ACAC the application deadlineOnt. for for MRU international moving onto Windsor, the CCAA finals. exchanges.

Reflector contributor Andrea Goss Check out for a in photo details her the ownwebsite experiences Newgallery.

Zealand.

BASKETBALL ACTION Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams played SAIT on Jan 15. All the action from both games can be seen in online photo galleries.

TEA TIME Check out the exclusive photo gallery all about tea, the world’s favourite drink — after water of course.

HOT CONCERT Aris Aristorenas checked out the Mother Mother concert at the Gateway on Jan. 22.

Photo courtesy Andrea Goss

While on an exchange to New Zealand, MRU student Andrea Goss not only rappelled cave walls but also attended the University of Waikato in Hamilton. The application deadline for spring and fall 2010 as well as winter 2011 exchanges is Feb. 16.

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13

Stepping into someone else’s shoes Theatre MRU students capture Neil Simon’s tale of family ties

by Sean-Paul Boynton Arts Editor

Ever since the days of Shakespeare, when men were forced to put on frilly dresses and portray all the female roles, actors have had to deal with the challenges of stepping into characters that are, for all intents and purposes, nothing like themselves. It’s an aspect of acting that is usually a main draw for aspiring thespians, but is also the major hurdle that theatre students have to overcome if they are to succeed in their careers.

The cast of Theatre MRU’s latest production, Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs, has certainly had their share of challenges in portraying the play’s characters. The first installment in a semiautobiographical trilogy, the show’s roles include a mother and a father, both in their late 40s, an adolescent 14-year-old boy in the throes of puberty (essentially Simon himself), an older brother who’s a second breadwinner for the family, and a pair of teenage cousins.

They are all lower-class Jewish New Yorkers living in the titular Brooklyn landmark and surviving the waning years of the Great Depression.

For a professional theatre company, pulling off this story of growing pains and family bonds would be a routine

GROUP from pg. 11 up in Lunda Norte, Angola, and South Africa, says kuduro was once a form of music for poor Angolans who couldn’t afford the instruments needed to perform hip-hop.

“When you look at the lower class, you’ve got kuduro,” he says. “Those are the ones who don’t have the opportunities to go to the higher schools or private schools and learn. They are the ones doing the kuduro where the language is somewhat broken with a lot of slang. Back then, people used to laugh at kuduro.”

Since that time, Black Mamba says the music has evolved greatly in his country and now has its own television channel dedicated to the street music.

Eddy Mayor, who comes from Luanda, Angola, says Angolan kuduro artist Tur Bantes had the fastest selling album in the country in 2007. In one day, Angolan musical history was made when the entire album’s first run was sold out.

“You can’t judge the genre of music,” Eddy Mayor says.

“There’s only good and bad music. You can’t say that kuduro is bad.”

The A-Squad Boyz never forget their African backgrounds

exercise. But for this group of 20-somethings, the task of creating characters that bear no relation to their own personalities, backgrounds, or even ages has proven to be both initially daunting and ultimately rewarding.

“Up until now, I’ve played characters who are my age or younger, and I’ve been most comfortable with characters like that,” says Evan Medd, who plays the father, Jack Jerome. “So to be playing a man who’s twice my age has been a big challenge, but it’s been interesting to see how I can portray that. My character is also recovering from a heart attack in the play, so to portray that physically has been hard, but I’ve learned a lot about building a character.”

Medd is not alone: every actor in the show has something to say about the challenges they faced during the rehearsal process, although some were easier to overcome than others.

Adam Klassen, who plays the lead, Eugene Jerome, was able to draw on his own experiences as a pubescent teenager in order to play the hormonal narrator.

“I’ve gone through what Eugene goes through here, where his only goal in life, seemingly, is to see a naked breast,” jokes Klassen. “But it was still a struggle at first to capture the physicality of a 14-year-old; I’ve been there, of

and use kuduro tracks for some of their songs.

“It’s like being a chef,” says Black Mamba. “You do something that people are so used to and they become comfortable with that. Let me throw something else in there and see how the response is. You throw something else in there and people are still loving it.”

MC Budidi says it is very important to be versatile in the craft because so many artists are doing the same thing in Calgary’s scene: “[Black Mamba] is hardcore and can also sit down and write something for the ladies and they’d be bouncing. I can go gangsta on the beat for the ladies at the same time. Everything that everyone is bringing [to] the table is like cooking the best meal ever. We are the right spices and the chefs at the same time. We cook good food. Come eat in our restaurant. You’ll enjoy!”

“A-Squad doesn’t just do hiphop,” MC Budidi adds. “In music, there is pop, hip-hop and everything else. I consider what we do as a skeleton with many bones attached. Hip-hop is one of the bones attached to the skeleton, but what we are doing is music.”

For the members of the A-Squad Boyz, it is important to

Photo courtesy of Stephen F. Austin State University

Theatre students at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, performing Brighton Beach Memoirs. course, but it’s easy to forget the awkwardness and the anxiety that goes with that.”

At the same time, some of the actors have little to draw on from their own life experiences.

Joe Perry, who plays Eugene’s older brother Stan, has had a completely different upbringing than his character, so much so that he had some trouble at first in relating to Stan’s role in the Jerome household.

“I grew up as the youngest sibling in my family, so I’ve only known how it is to be the so-called ‘baby,’” says Perry, “whereas Stan is the oldest and is sort of a mentor to Eugene, as well as another provider for the family along with the father,

write about their specific lives.

“There are a lot of rappers out there who are talking about stuff that they don’t do or ways they don’t live. They call us soft,” says Eddy Mayor. “If they live it, then they are going to sing about it, they’re going to rap about it. For us, even though we are friends and we’re really close, that stuff that they go through is not what we go through. So, do not expect us to be like that.”

Black Mamba says: “Honestly, it’s not like we can’t do that.

We’ve gone through a lot coming from a country that has gone through 25 years of war.”

At the moment, he says the group is waiting for the correct time to write about the sights of violent warfare in their home countries: “We are thinking of doing something more on that sense. We want to bring a little bit of the cold reality that we have gone through, a side of us that people haven’t seen. We are trying to give people a full dimension of A-Squad.”

The A-Squad Boyz will be performing at the Days Inn Hotel on Feb. 6 for a show called 2K10 Blueprint. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets are $15. As well, they will be performing a Valentine’s show for all the ladies at the Amsterdam Rhino on Feb. 15.

so he has a lot of responsibility that I’ve never had to deal with: namely, handing over his salary to his family to put food on the table. ” Fortunately for everyone involved (not to mention audiences), the cast has met these various challenges headon, and created a production that director J-P Fournier is proud to call a success.

“I can honestly say – and I’m not just saying this because they can hear me – that this cast has been amazing at capturing

the essence of this play and creating these characters,” says Fournier. “It’s a hilarious show, but it also has so much truth in it. The fact that these actors’ life experiences are relatively limited hasn’t deterred them one bit. It’s a fantastic show that everyone will enjoy.”

Brighton Beach Memoirs runs Feb. 4-6, 9-12 in the Wright Theatre at Mount Royal. Tickets – which are $10 for students and alumni, $15 for adults – are available at www.mtroyal.ca/ tickets.

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THE REFLECTOR • January 28, 2010

14

Choice Cut Spoon Transference Merge Records

by Sean-Paul Boynton Arts Editor

P

eople always say, “Never judge a book by its cover.” But when it comes to albums, sometimes looking at the cover and thinking about the title can be an appropriate jumpingoff point for exploring the record’s depths. Obviously, something like a Britney Spears’ album is easy to analyze, considering it’s usually just her face and an easy-to-understand title like Circus But here comes Spoon and their latest album, their seventh in 16 years.

It’s called Transference, and it features a photograph of a young man slouching in a yellow armchair, looking bored or distracted, his eyes darting to the side. There’s clearly a party going on around him. What is he thinking about?

Another party on the other side of town? Is his girl casually flirting with another guy? Did he leave the stove on?

The word “transference” is another matter, as it can be defined a few different ways. The most intriguing, and the one that can be used most readily here, is the instance in which a patient develops romantic feelings for his or her psychiatrist.

This situation is not one of real love, of course: the intimacy of in-depth analysis, of someone willingly probing into someone else’s feelings and desires, can be mistaken for a deeper connection.

If these feelings can be misconstrued so easily, then what is love, really, and how can it possibly be defined and discovered by a human being if it’s such a shape-shifting enigma? That, in a nutshell, is what transference – and as a result, Transference – is all about: finding true love while trying to figure out what the hell that love means. No wonder the boy is so distracted.

Britt Daniel, the songwriter, singer and guitarist for Spoon, has certainly mined this territory however abstractly over his career, but never in such an artfully concise manner as seen here.

Throughout Transference, he remains distracted, nervous, jumpy, anxious, and altogether strung out as he explores the notion that maybe he’s had love before, and maybe he has it now, but how can he be so sure? As a songwriter, his modus operandi remains somewhat the same, as he works in the post-rock, catchy-pop-tune mode he has

made a specialty. But as a lyricist, he’s a purposeful mess, darting from subject to subject like a moth to a flame.

“Written In Reverse” is the howling highlight, as Daniel screeches and barks over love lost, or maybe about to be lost. “I wanna show you how I love you but there’s nothing there” is perhaps one of the most horrifying lines written in the name of love, as it lays bare the male ethos of not being able to express oneself (not to mention the possibility we’ve all faced of mistaking love for something else).

The band creates a stuttering stomp that personifies this man, unable to share his feelings and unsure of what they even are, punching holes in his wall out of frustration.

Spoon, like the best rock bands throughout history, knows how to match the words with appropriate drama, and the fact that they’re considered one of the tightest outfits in the indie sphere helps them pull this off astoundingly. They’re also masters of using the studio to their advantage, and the way they mix low-fi mixes and crisp production flourishes is what makes Transference such an uneasy listen. The sonic tricks they do use are carefully chosen, softly implemented, and ultimately stimulating, like the way sung phrases cut off mid-syllable in the haunting “The Mystery Zone” and “Is Love Forever?”

Here’s a thought: what if love didn’t exist at all? Well, we’d certainly have less to talk, write and sing about. But if love is such a hardship, and the biggest gamble to undertake on the casino floor of life…well, isn’t that what Transference is all about? That our lives would be easier? The fact is, Transference is a snapshot of what we all go through when we deal with love: from time to time, it can be confusing, unreal, and frustrating, and we just want to scream at the top of our lungs for the room to stop spinning.

But then we calm down, take a breath, and realize that without love, there really isn’t anything to live for; that’s why we care so much to think about it so hard. Maybe Spoon’s next record will reflect this coming-down from panic. For now, though, we have the boy, alone, thinking, waiting, ready to burst. If this isn’t love as we ideally see it, then it’s definitely what love is to the common man, and for showing that through their music, Spoon should be applauded.

More tracks on the racks

Woodpigeon Die Stadt Muzikanten Boompa

Charlotte Gainsbourg IRM Because Music

OK Go Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky Capitol Records

1 Gorillaz “Stylo” Damon Albarn is one busy man. Besides reuniting with Blur and contributing to numerous albums (see No. 3), he has also re-launched his second-most-famous musical project. These funky monkeys haven’t lost their touch for creative collaborations in the name of new-millennium trip-hop, as “Stylo” rides a comfortably pulsing beat that fans will immediately recognize despite its intriguing exhaustion, while Bobby Womack wails and Mos Def literally phones in a few lines of freestyle. myspace.com/gorillaz

Die Stadt Muzikanten is the kind of album to plug in when you want to do your homework with a cup of tea in hand and a blizzard outside. With Mark Hamilton’s restrained, calm lead vocals and the help of about 20 other musicians, DSM is an impassioned and charming collection of folk-pop. “Such a Lucky Girl” is a highlight, opening with sleepy flutes and squeaky guitar strings before building into a mellifluous love(ish) song. Overall, it’s a quiet album with plenty of pretty bits, best heard really loud in an otherwise quiet room. ­—Zoey Duncan The idea of putting Charlotte Gainsbourg together with Beck is an idea that is so perfect it’s a wonder why it didn’t happen any time sooner. Gainsbourg’s breathy vocals layer perfectly over Beck’s pop sensibilities. “Heaven Can Wait” is worth losing yourself into in a decent pair of headphones. Or download the video to your favourite music video player and replay it as many times as you want, discovering something new each time. The rest of album is equally complex.

When Gainsbourg sings in “Le Chat Du Café Des Artistes,” her voice becomes another instrument that weaves around the haunting melody.

—Selina Renfrow OK Go’s third album takes its title from General A.J. Pleasonton’s The Influence of the Blue Ray of the Sunlight and of the Blue Colour of the Sky. Never heard of it? It was published in 1856 and there isn’t even a Wikipedia entry on it. Whatever it’s about, it provides for an interesting CD cover and booklet. The disc itself is just as interesting and complex with each track crafted to take you along for a ride. Damian Kulash bleeds heartache and regret on the track “Skyscrapers,” while the drums carry you off on an adventure in “Back From Kathmandu.” Be prepared for a pleasant surprise.

—Selina Renfrow

Downloadables

2

Phoenix “Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” Some may be surprised by this dance-rock quartet tackling Bob Dylan’s stately shuffling epic, but consider the facts: the song was originally written for the Bard’s French wife; Phoenix is a French band; maybe there’s a deeper connection here?

No matter. Although this live acoustic performance for German magazine Musikexpress isn’t as long as Dylan’s 11-minute performance, it’s still a satisfying snapshot of a skyrocketing, high-energy group dialing down the synths and warming our hearts. thetripwire.com

3 Massive Attack “Saturday Come Slow” Over the past 12 years, this pioneering trip-hop act out of Bristol has struggled to reach the dizzying heights they set for themselves with their classic trilogy of albums released throughout the 1990s. This track from their forthcoming album comes closer than other recent efforts, thanks in no small part to an emotive vocal from Damon Albarn. The music is all slow build and full of creeping doom, but what else did you expect from Massive Attack? stereogum.com

January 28, 2010 • THE REFLECTOR

15

Shining the spotlight on reality The Abortion Monologues aims to depict the real lives of women

by Katie Turner Publishing Editor

The controversial issue of abortion is a topic that has the ability to polarize – you’re either for it or against it.

In the case of The Abortion Monologues, the goal is not to divide, but rather shed some light on the reality of the issue, explains the playwright.

Written by former MRU instructor Jane Cawthorne, the play will make its Canadian debut at Mount Royal on Feb. 4.

“I would say that it is a compassionate look at women’s lives,” says Cawthorne. “These are stories that don’t get told, still, because there is a fear of retribution, reprisal and judgment. “[The actors] talk about their lives through talking about their abortions, and it’s impossible for a woman to talk about her abortion without talking about her life and her family and her relationships.”

Jane Cawthorne Playwright

After more than seven years as a women studies instructor at Mount Royal, Cawthorne says that she left teaching to pursue writing, which she says she has always loved.

Cawthorne found herself putting aside the theory that she had once taught in the classroom and trying to focus on the real women behind the issue.

“I didn’t know what I was writing at first,” says Cawthorne. “I’ve heard a lot of women’s stories over a couple of decades…and I always thought that their stories were so vastly different from the rhetoric that goes on.”

After years of involvement in the women’s movement and working with women-serving agencies such as Planned Parenthood, she says she has heard numerous stories, all of which are different.

Through a series of 23 monologues, performed by female actors ranging from teenagers to seniors, Cawthorne explains that her goal was to showcase a variety of individual stories. While the original version is made up of 23 monologues, the adaptation being put on at Mount Royal will only have 19.

“Why so many? Because I don’t want it to get bogged

down in the particular circumstances of one person’s life,” says Cawthorne. “There are a lot of circumstances and I’ve put as many in there that I think an audience can sit through.”

The play was first presented in April 2009 in Portland, Ore. and Cawthorne says it has since been produced in other cities.

According to Cawthorne, the play is currently being produced in Iowa City, Iowa in response to the murder of Dr. George Tiller.

Tiller was an abortion doctor who was shot last May while attending church in Wichita, Kansas. He was one of few doctors to perform late-term abortions.

“The people producing it in Iowa City, they decided to do this as a response to the murder of Dr. George Tiller last year and I’m really honoured by that, that they would choose this as a way to respond to that murder,” says the playwright.

Now that the play has made its way to Canada, Cawthorne says that she is excited about Mount Royal being the venue and seeing her work performed under the direction of Tarra Loïs Riley.

Before becoming the director, Riley offered her advice to Cawthorne during the writing process and said that it was the honesty of the monologues that really impressed her.

As the founder and former artistic director of Broad Minds Theatre, a female-minded theatre company, Riley is no stranger to women’s issues.

“I actually thought that I had sort of explored everything I wanted to explore artistically around the subject, and then I realized that this is far more than anything I had explored before,” explains Riley. “If absolutely nothing else, [the play is] a new way of actually looking at the subject.”

Riley says that when she began working on The Abortion

Photo courtesy of Jane Cawthorne

Tarra Loïs Riley (third from right) will be the first to direct the Canadian debut of The Abortion Monologues, coming to Mount Royal Feb. 4.

Monologues, she realized how many women this subject affects.

“I didn’t know that that story was so common, if you will, and once we started working in terms of the actual direction and everything else, it was amazing the stories that came out that were so honest and overwhelming,” she says.

“Almost every woman – well, I would say in my experience every women – has had to deal with this subject.”

While the topic of abortion may be a contentious one, both Cawthorne and Riley explain that The Abortion Monologues serve to offer a different point of view than the polarized ones that are commonly presented.

“I think it’s a difficult, difficult subject matter and I think that when you are faced with the realities in whatever way, it can change your perspective,” says Riley.

This one-night performance has already sold out; however, if you wish to purchase the right and stage your own production visit www.abortionmonologues. com.

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All about focus Cougar forward balances life on and off the ice

by James Paton Photo Editor

SPORTS EDITOR: Kelsey Hipkin sportseditor@TheReflector.ca

January 28, 2010

It’s a Wednesday afternoon and the temperature inside the rink is cooler than it is outside.

The Mount Royal University men’s hockey team is hard at work practicing the skills they will need to fight for the ACAC championship coming up in two months time.

Steam rises out of the glove of hard working forward Barry Horman as he skates off the ice. While Horman may be new to Mount Royal, he isn’t new to university play as one of the most experienced players on the Cougar’s roster.

On and off the ice, Horman encompasses everything you look for in a leader—heart, determination and hustle, as described by head coach Jean LaForest when asked what type of individual the Victoria, B.C.

native is.

It is these things that have helped Horman become the athlete and student he is. Whether it’s fighting to get a puck out of a corner or staying on top in the classroom, Horman is the quintessential example of a great student-athlete, according to LaForest. Currently, Horman is studying business and entrepreneurship at Mount Royal after spending most of his career with the University of Calgary Dinos hockey team.

“It just wasn’t working out with U of C and I had a good opportunity to play a lot of games [at MRU] and the school program seemed to work out better here as well,” Horman explained.

Horman’s hockey career has taken him to all different levels of competition. This includes semi-professional play in the Western Hockey League with

the Spokane Chiefs and in the Central Hockey League with the Arizona Sundogs and Wichita Thunder as well as his stint with the University of Calgary Dinos in the CIS league.

“College hockey is different than pro. The schedule is much more grueling down in the States but on the other hand at the college level you have to focus on school and hockey at the same time, both have their challenges,” Horman said.

While with the Cougars, Horman has racked up 11 goals, 14 assists and 25 points overall.

He is currently 13th overall in points in the ACAC conference and third on the team. It is because of the effort of players like Horman, Matt Laminrande and Ernie Stewart that the Cougs’ are currently leading their division.

See HORMAN pg. 19

BY THE NUMBERS

9:

Calories burned a minute during a basketball game for a total of 544 calories burned in an hour of play.

14:

ACAC championships for the Cougars’ badminton team.

31:

Hours and then some of the Guinness World Records longest recorded kiss.

82:

Years that the Olympic flame has represented the spirit of the games. The flame is a symbol of Prometheus stealing fire from Zeus and was reintroduced from the ancient Olympics in 1928.

Photo by James Paton

January 28, 2010 • THE REFLECTOR

HORMAN from pg. 17 “He’s very focused about what he wants to do on the ice, but also knows what he wants to accomplish off the ice and that is very important,” said LaForest.

The experience he learned in the high level play demanded in the WHL and CHL helps Horman fit in with most types of coaching styles and quickly helps him adapt to the structure the Cougars have in place for their team, explained LaForest.

“When we change systems or talk about things it is very quickly absorbed and [Horman] relays the changes down his line,” he added.

Horman’s ability to lead by example has helped the Cougars achieve a record of 17-2-0-1.

“When you see a guy with that much skill and that much accomplished and see a guy work that hard, it’s good for team morale,” said Jordan McLaughlin, Cougars’ goalie.

With such a hard work ethic

in hockey and everyday life, Horman said he tries to help the younger players both on the ice and in their studies.

“He’s always the guy when you watch the drills who buries the puck and goes after second and third chances and puts the puck in the net and competes hard,” said LaForest.

The future is wide open for Horman, this being his final eligible year with the Cougars, and he is keeping his plans for open.

“Hopefully [I’ll] go play professionally in the states or in Europe and if not, then start a real career and finish off my degree,” he said.

With the end of the regular season looming, it will be up to Horman and his teammates to push the team to a 2010 championship.

The next weekend of play for the big cats comes against Briercrest on Jan.29 and 30. Then the team meets up against SAIT and MacEwan before ACAC quarterfinals Feb.19.

Cougars Captured

17

Photo by James Paton

Cougar forward Barry Horman has an extensive hockey resume including MRU, U of C, the Spokane Chiefs, the Arizona Thunder and the Wichita Thunder.

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Cougars guard Brennan Fule goes for two points in a recent game against the SAIT Trojans. The men’s basketball team is in second place in the ACAC South Division with a record of 10-3. The teams next match up is against Red Deer on Feb.5.

Apply online at calawaypark.com or fax your resumé to (403) 242-3885

THE REFLECTOR • January 28, 2010

18

THE LISTINGS PAGE MOVIES GLOBE (617-8th Ave. S.W., 403-262-3308) Jan. 29 – Feb. 4, 2010 Call for screenings and times.

THE PLAZA (1133 Kensington Rd. N.W., 283-2222)

Sat. @ 7:00. PG—coarse language.

Assume Nothing (GlobalFest FilmFest): Sat. @ 9:00.

14A—nudity, mature subject matter.

Only When I Dance (GlobalFest FilmFest): Sun. @ 3:00.

Subtitled. PG. Prairie Tales 11: Sun. @ 7:00. 14A. Rev: A Buried Treasure: Mon. @ 7:00. All ages.

Junior: Wed. @ 7:00. STC. The Sea Inside: Free show. Thurs. @ 6:30. Subtitled.

PG—mature theme.

Deep Red: Thurs. @ 9:30. Subtitled. 18+.

Jan. 29 – Feb. 4, 2010

THE UPTOWN

An Education: Fri. & Wed. mats @ 4:45; Sat. mat @ 12:30; Sun. @ 12:30, 4:45 & 9:15; Mon. @ 4:45 & 9:15; Tues. @ 9:15; Thurs. @ 4:30. PG—mature subject matter.

(612-8 AVE. S.W., 265-0120)

Queer China, Comrade China: Fri. @ 9:45. Subtitled. 14A. A Serious Man (Coen Bros. Double Feature): Sat. @ 2:30; Wed. @ 8:45. 18A— gory scenes.

No Country for Old Men (Coen Bros. Double Feature): Sat. @ 4:30; Wed. @ 10:30. 18A—gory scenes.

Roadsworth: Crossing the Line (GlobalFest FilmFest):

THEATRE

Downstage: Feb. 4-13, 2010, Bone Cage by Catherine Banks in Engineered Air Theatre; Apr. 9-17, A New Work by the Downstage Creation Ensemble in Epcor Centre’s Motel. 403-294-7459. downstage.ca.

MUSIC

Last Year at Mareinbad: Tues. @ 7:00. Subtitled. STC.

www.theplaza.ca

Official Rejection: Fri. @ 7:00. 14A—coarse language.

The Young Victoria: Tues. & Thurs. @ 4:50 & 7:10; Wed. @ 7:10; Fri. @ 4:50 & 7:10; Sat. & Sun. @ 12:10, 4:50 & 7:10; Mon. – Thurs. @ 4:50 & 7:10. PG.

theuptown.com Jan. 29 – Feb. 4, 2010 Broken Embraces (Los abrazos rotos): Fri. @ 7:00 & 9:30; Sat. & Sun. @ 11:50, 2:15, 7:00 & 9:30; Mon. – Thurs. @ 7:00 9:30. 14A—sexual content.

Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus: Tues. – Thurs. @ 6:50 & 9:20; Fri. @ 4:40 & 9:30; Sat. & Sun. @ 2:20, 4:40 & 9:30; Mon. – Thurs. @ 4:40 & 9:30. PG—coarse language, frightening scenes.

Theatre MRU: Feb. 4-12, Brighton Beach Memoirs by Neil Simon. 403-440-7770. mtroyal.ca/theatremrc. Wright Theatre, MRU, 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW. Vertigo Mystery Theatre: Until Feb. 14, 2010, The Woman in Black adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from the book by Susan Hill. 403-221-3708. vertigotheatre.com.

Vertigo Theatre Centre, 115 – 9 Ave. SE. Theatre Encounter: Feb. 25 – Mar. 6, 2010, Everyman.

403-288-5029. theatreencounter.com. Studio Theatre, Vertigo Theatre Centre, 115 – 9 Ave. SE.

Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall: Until Jan. 29, Happening Festival of New Music & Media 2010 – Instruments+.

403-220-4900. mmf-ymf.org. Rozsa Centre, U of C. Southern Stardust Big Band: Feb. 13, Big Band Valentine. 777-0000. southernstardust.ca. Red and White Club, 1817 Crowchild Tr. N.W. Carma Acoustic Blues Series: Jan. 29, 2010, Matt Andersen. 403-299-8888. epcorcentre.org. Jack Singer Hall, Epcor Centre, 201 – 8 Ave. SE.

U of C, Dept. of Drama: Feb. 9-10, Still Life; Feb. 16-27, The Humorous Magistrate; Apr. 6-17, Taking Flight: A Festival of Student Work. 403-210-7576. finearts.ucalgary. ca. University Theatre, U of C. Urban Curvz Theatre: Mar. 15, 2010, Curvilicious 2010; Apr. 29-May 8, 2010, The Vajayjay Monologues. urbancurvz.com. Pumphouse Theatres, 2140 Pumphouse Ave. SW.

VOLUNTEERS BEFRIEND MAN’S BEST FRIEND ! Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS) Calgary needs volunteers to

raise and train PADS puppies at home. Call Heather at 403-233-7237.

ADMINISTER SOME HELP ! Calgary Legal Guidance needs volunteers to help with various administrative duties for their Homeless Outreach Program. Call Kim at 403-234-9266.

S.O.S! Distress Centre Calgary needs volunteers with crisis intervention skills to assist their operations. Call Chloe at 403-2661634.

MATTERS OF THE BRAIN! Association for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured (ARBI) needs a Rehabilitation Volunteer. Training will be provided. Call Wendy at 403-217-4591.

STREET HOCKEY FACEOFF! Ronald McDonald House requires volunteers on April 30 & May 1 for the street hockey festival! Contact Kristy at 403-240-3000 ext 113 EQUESTRIAN MOVES ! Opening Gaits Therapeutic Riding Society of Calgary needs volunteer side walkers to aid persons with physical or mental disabilities as they participate in recreational horseback riding. Call Yvonne at 403-254-4184.

A PASSION FOR THE WRITTEN WORD! Calgary Reads needs volunteer tutors to help children learn to read.

Visit www.calgaryreads.com for training schedule/ forms.

YOU MAKE A VITAL DIFFERENCE! Association for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured (ARBI) requires rehabilitation volunteers to support individuals with severe acquired brain injuries. Call 403-217-4591.

OFF TO THE DOCTORS! Bow-Crest Care Centre needs volunteers to escort seniors to doctor appointments.

No car needed. Call Ingrid @ 4032882373.

NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE OF CHIROPRACTIC, a college of Northwestern Health Sciences University, is home away from home for dozens of Canadian students pursuing their doctor of chiropractic degrees. If you’re considering a career in chiropractic, join Jim McDonald, MBA, Northwestern’s Vice President for Administrative Services, in

CALGARY on Feb. 11, 2010, tern’s hwes t r o tN N abou Ask Y ITIO TU OCIT R IP REC and our !

EAM T EY CK HO

from

5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Learn more about Northwestern’s educational focus on clinical excellence and our students’ preparation for professional success.

Career Information Night in Calgary Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010 • 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

University of Calgary Volunteer Centre – Olympic Room (Located on the main floor of McMahon Stadium)

Be the face of Mount Royal Recreation.

Voting starts February 4.

For more details go to mtroyal.ca/recreation or join our facebook page.

northwestern health sciences university 2501 West 84th Street, Bloomington, MN 55431 USA

403.440.6517

(800) 888-4777, ext. 409 • www.nwhealth.edu

EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts presents

TRANSCANADA

ALBERTA MUSIC SERIES

18

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per night plus fees

January 28, 2010 • THE REFLECTOR

19

Missed opportunity Tardy Reflector editor misses out on seeing Olympic torch

by Kelsey Hipkin Sports Editor

I am far from perfect.

As a journalist however, I do pride myself on always being on time to do interviews or conduct photo shoots.

The Olympic torch was in town recently, in case you haven’t noticed the miles of coverage from different news organizations all over the country.

Images of Calgary’s glorious ‘88 Olympics segued into images of the 2010 Olympics to come; basically it was a really big deal that the torch made it’s return to Cowtown. I am afraid to say it was much to my chagrin that I arrived at Canada Olympic Park on Jan. 20 to discover I had just missed out on the opportunity to shoot said historical event.

When I see photos from that day in other media publications, of the torch being carried down the hill by a snowboarder no

less, it really chaps my ass that I didn’t double check the time before heading out to COP. My discrepancy got me thinking about some of my fellow journalist friends who actually captured the torch with their cameras but certainly weren’t without mishaps of their own.

Amy Gregson, a reporter with the Strathmore Times, shared her torch story and why she could now double as a marathon runner. The first time she saw the torch was from the small town of Gleichen. The torch run was held up that day by a train, putting it behind schedule.

“I was just trying to get a good picture. And not knowing if my pictures were good or not, I [started] running after them.

This proved to be difficult as my boots have no traction and it was icy on parts of the road. It’s a miracle that I didn’t fall.”

Good journalist that she is, Gregson got the shot despite the undesirable situation. And kudos to her for being able to get to the torch on time to see it at all.

Another intrepid reporter who risked it all for the Olympic money shot is Cochrane Eagle copy editor Alan Mattson.

samru.ca

Mattson was shooting from a media van as the torch came through Cochrane. Seeing a fellow shooter jumping off the van with ease, Mattson decided to give it a shot as well.

“I thought I could try that too and so I took one step and then I took another step and then I fell straight on my ass on to the pavement in front of thousands of onlookers and they all grimaced.”

Mattson said that he got up and kept shooting, “I ignored the pain like any good journalist would.”

Despite their issues, both Gregson and Mattson said that to see the torch at all was an amazing thing.

“The Olympic torch relay was an amazing sight to see. As a journalist you’re supposed to be unbiased. In this situation it’s hard to be so,” Gregson said.

“It was really exciting,” said Mattson.

Good luck to all the Canadian athletes attending the games.

Actually good luck to all athletes in general attending the games and as a word of advice, just make sure you get to your events on time.

Photo by Amy Gregson

Amy Gregson shot the torch for the Strathmore Times Newspaper. I’m just jealous she got to shoot the torch at all.

samru.ca

20

THE REFLECTOR • January 28, 2010

Lets get physical The Reflector compares calories burned in pole dancing, sex and sports

Photo by Kelsey Hipkin

by Selina Renfrow Sex Columinst

It may only be one month into the new year but if you’re feeling a little down and out about failing your new year’s resolutions, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

We recently passed Blue Monday on Jan. 18, the day that has been designated the most depressing day of the year. Around this time of year, the cold weather begins to wear you down, your debt is mounting and you’ve already failed your new year’s resolutions.

But rest assured that you still have plenty of time to work through all of those things – who says you can’t modify your new year’s resolutions to suit you better?

If you’re one of many who promised to hit the gym, here are some alternatives to a traditional workout.

Pole dancing Alena Downs wasn’t ready to give up her pole when she retired from the stage at 35.

“I was an entertainer. And when I retired from the stage I didn’t want to let go of that pole. It was the one thing that I loved doing, it was the one thing about work that I thoroughly enjoyed,” Downs explained as she took a break from her Pole Junkies studio located in Killarney.

To keep up the level of fitness she had as an entertainer and to continue to express herself and have fun, Downs took up teaching other entertainers to pole dance. Soon she had other ladies asking her about pole dancing.

“Just everyday women – moms, housewives, legal assistants, they just all of sudden though ‘How do you do that? That’s kind of neat,’ and they got brave enough to ask,” Down said. “I guess people started understanding that pole has absolutely nothing to do with nudity. It has to do with dance, sport and art.”

For Pole Junkies, pole dancing is first and foremost meant to be fun, said Downs and while fitness is the byproduct of having fun, proper training and safety are Downs’ top priorities. All of the instructors are certified fitness instructors and each class begins with a warmup and ends with a cool down. From introduction to advanced classes, each progress at levels suited to the participants’ abilities.

Like most dance styles, pole dancing works the whole body. “It’s a phenomenal way to keep in shape because you utilize so many parts of your body,” said Downs.

While she and the other instructors incorporate floor movements and squats to work the lower body, the nature of pole dancing works the upper body and core, keeping the things lean, not bulky.

“And it’s a great way to lose weight,” Downs added.

What began as a form of entertainment for men has now become a self-esteem booster for women looking to gain confidence. And confidence works wonders in the bedroom.

Sex as exercise Michelle Fodemesi is a personal trainer at Mount Royal Recreation who, while learning and studying about fitness and the body, has come to realize the

Photo by James Paton

Hockey may burn more calories than sex but only you can judge which is more fun.

many health benefits of sex.

“While you’re having sex, it’s a good cardiovascular workout because your heart rate is going,” Fodemesi explained. “About a half an hour of sex is equal to burning 85 calories, which is good. So if you can add that up hopefully you’re having more than half an hour of sex at a time.”

Looking at other sports, an hour of sex is the equivalent to an hour of light stationary bike riding, canoeing and bowling, according to nutristrategy.com.

When you compare the calories burned having sex to the calories burned playing a high exertion sport like hockey, the numbers change a little with an hour of hockey burning 472 calories for a 130 lbs. person.

WebMD, an online health information resource, lists 10 surprising health benefits to having sex. A recent research study in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health found that having sex twice or more a week reduced the risk of a fatal heart attack by half for men, compared to those who had sex less than once a month. Your increased heart rate during sex is a benefit to both men and women in decreasing your chances of heart disease and stroke, Fodemesi added.

Other benefits listed on WebMD include the tightening of pelvic floor muscles for women. Try doing the Kegel exercise during sex (tighten the muscles and hold for three seconds then release.)

For men, WebMD refers to two studies in which researchers have found that if a man in his twenties ejaculates five times a week it can help prevent prostate cancer. Even if you’re out of your twenties, you can still benefit from ejaculating multiple times in a week, around 21 times a month (to prevent prostate cancer of course).

WebMD lists three benefits the love hormone, oxytocin has to your health. Oxytocin helps partners bond, you get better sleep and it reduces pain (including headaches, arthritis and PMS symptoms).

It’s also a stress reliever by lowering your blood pressure and it protects against colds by boosting the antibody immunoglobulin A. So what’s the final word? A healthy sex life leads to a healthy you.

“There’s a lot of benefits to having sex, really, it’s weird,” Fodemesi concluded. “It’s a good sport.”